Your spring decor update
From bold colours to being environmentally friendly, here’s a guide to spring style. Natalia Didovich reports.
Spring is upon us so it’s time to pack away the dark soft furnishings and woollen blankets and bring some life back into the home. We’ve spoken to industry experts to get the lowdown on what’s trending for the warmer months.
Eco friendly design
Spring is all about renewal and breathing new life into the home but in 2018 it also has a conscience.
Kelsey Koster from McKenzie & Willis said making eco-friendly decor choices, in design and manufacturing, was a key consideration. ‘‘Our clients are wanting to know how it is made, where it is made and the environmental/ethical impacts of their decisions,’’ Koster said. ‘‘Our product range definitely reflects this increased awareness.’’
Is it time for a spring clean?
Take a leaf out of the books of the high street stores and embrace a ‘‘less is more’’ mentality. H&M Home has taken a minimalistic approach to its spring collection, opting for a ‘‘timeless and serene style bringing natural materials, soft tones and tactile fabrics into the home’’.
‘‘It’s all about starting a new season with a pure, calm atmosphere. Our new arrivals introduce clean and sculptural designs in fresh, soft colours – an easy way to bring in freshness after the winter months,’’ said H&M Home’s Head of Design Evelina Kravaev Soderberg.
Bold colour is in, beige is out
Spring colour schemes typically lean towards being pretty and pastel, with pops of fresh spring colours in accents. However, this spring’s palette comes in 50 shades of bold.
Resene colour consultant Zoe Cunningham said standout colours include: dark and murky greens (Resene Possessed), savoury and spicy yellows (Resene Turbo) and oranges that come in either warm and inviting tones (Resene Desperado) or with a pink note (Resene Paper Doll and Resene Prairie Sand).
If greens, yellows and oranges aren’t quite you, Resene’s marketing manager Karen Warman said blue could be done in two ways. Firstly, there is the dusty and weathered blues and blue greys that ‘‘feel like the beach has come indoors’’.
‘‘It’s a relaxed, coastal style and is popular for those who don’t want an all-neutral home but who also don’t want to go bright,’’ Warman said.
Or you can go the other way with deep and moody blues. ‘‘These colours are very cocooning and soothing and are either used as a feature wall behind the bed or on all walls for a sense of sanctuary,’’ Warman said.
Beige is fading into the background. ‘‘Any colour can work in the right place, but we’re not seeing a lot of middle or light browns,’’ Warman said. ‘‘Decorators are going for soft greys and greige [greyed beige].’’
Material matters
Textiles are set to be bold and experimental. ‘‘We’ve seen a huge surge towards colourful textiles. Clients want to experiment with colour and pattern and inject some personality into their homes,’’ Koster said.
Sick of seeing monstera or fiddle leaf figs on everything? Unfortunately you’ll have to put up with them for a little while longer as botanical prints were still very much present with a ‘‘painterly, hand-crafted feel’’.
Luxe fabrics such as velvets also continue to dominate, but have been ‘‘reimagined with pattern and texture’’.
Koster said tactile finishes and handcrafted elements are also proving to be big. ‘‘Authenticity is key and more and more people are looking for uniquely made items for their home,’’ she said.
Go out of the box
While some are content to follow trends when styling their home, it has become clear that people are marching to the beat of their own drum more so than ever.
Warman said the best way to create a space that is out of the box is to look within for inspiration.
‘‘Think about what colours you love – what colours you love to wear, what colour artworks are you drawn to, what clashy colour combinations you like to combine in your clothing for a fun night out. Then bring those colours into your home,’’ Warman said.
If you’re nervous that a bold colour or unique piece of furniture won’t work in your home, go bold in your master bedroom or other spaces where you can experiment without every visitor to your home having an opinion.
For those unable to go big and bold, Warman recommended indulging in your favourite unorthodox spring colours in areas such as inside drawers or a wardrobe ‘‘so you get a lovely colour welcome that is solely for your enjoyment’’.
Take a leaf out of the books of the high street stores and embrace ‘‘less is more’’.